


The Right Time

by alisha_winchester_collins



Category: Australia (2008)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Unrequited Love, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 19:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9781325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alisha_winchester_collins/pseuds/alisha_winchester_collins
Summary: A look into Emmett Dutton's feelings for Sarah Ashley





	

The first time Captain Emmett Dutton sees her, she is still Lady Sarah Ashley, owner of Faraway Downs and very much alive despite reports of her having perished in the Never Never Land. She delivers her cattle to his ship and voids his contract with King Carney in mere minutes. This, Emmett thinks to himself, is one special woman.

The second time they meet, at the Ball being held in honor of raising money for the Children's Mission, Emmett is nearly taken away by her beauty when he sees her in that red gown. Not that he hadn't thought she wasn't beautiful before, or that he has been thinking of her. He excuses himself from the guests he was speaking to and goes to where she is. To his surprise, she knows him and remembers who he is and if it warms his heart to hear her say his name, he doesn't show it.  
  
It isn't until their third meeting that he hears her tell him that 'Sarah' is just fine. Calling her Lady Ashley seems far too formal and they're friends now, so he must address her properly. To this, he says, “ _Then I must ask you call me Emmett... Sarah."_ And if her smile is any indication of her happiness, it seems to him that this could be the start of a new friendship.   
  
Emmett isn't really sure when he actually fell in love with Sarah, he wonders about it sometimes... but when he sees her on days that he visits her at Faraway Downs, those soon become the moments he longs for even after he has left.   
  
They talk about all sorts of things, her life in England, the love she has for that little boy Nullah, her fears about living here in this foreign country, his life in the military, his thoughts  of the future, his hopes, but never does he say anything about himself. There's too much at stake, their friendship for one, her relationship with the Drover, the fact that she is still in mourning over her late husband, Emmett chooses the simple way and keep his feelings to himself. After all, it is obvious she doesn't feel the same.   
  
The war changes all of that. When the planes attack the town in the middle of the morning; unexpectedly and deadly, bombs dropping all over Darwin, leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake. Emmett survives. Somehow. He doesn't dwell on that thought when he awakens in the hospital. It's night now... too many hours have gone by... too many people dead. Friends, soldiers... Sarah! The mere thought of her is enough to get Emmett out of bed and away from the doctors who call out after him. He needs to know where she is. He needs to know that she is still...

"Ashley. Sarah Ashley." The name stops him cold in his tracks.

"What did you say?" He finds himself speaking. His feet gravitate towards the body laying there, covered in a sheet.   
  
It isn't her. It can't be her. He doesn't know what to do. His heart is deafening all other voices as he lifts up the sheet and tries not to break down in that moment and cry.   
  
"There’s been some mistake, that’s Cath Fletcher." He tells the doctor. They made a mistake. Sarah isn't... she's still...

"Oh God, it’s Cath!" Her voice snaps him back to reality.   
  
There she is, Sarah, standing in front of him, living and breathing. Emmett doesn't think twice before taking her in his arms as she cries. This is her friend, this is her loss and he can only be there for her as a friend. But it will be enough.   
  
She becomes his priority now; the people are leaving, evacuating by the dozens. He can take her away from this nightmare. But first, he must wait. Throughout the night, he stays with her as she grieves, not just for her friend, but her boy Nullah, who was on Mission Island when it was bombed. And Emmett knows, he knows that Sarah will never cry for herself. He holds her hand in his and says nothing more. It isn't his place.   
  
At dawn, he takes her to the call center, what is left of the building rather. It is safe to enter and he watches as she walks inside, turning away to deal with his men, turning away to give her time. For the moment he's Captain Dutton again.

It's only at the last moment that he brings himself to go get her, but pauses when he sees her standing, in the ruins of the room, holding a photograph of her family. That is who they were to her. One can have many friends, but family is something that goes beyond blood, it's a connection that she formed with the boy and the man who was there for her in ways Emmett could never be. And he knows, she will always be his friend. Never his family.   
  
“We have to go Sarah.” It doesn't matter if his voice is breaking, his heart has been broken for so long now, what difference does it make?   
  
And she does. Leave with him. She is ready to say goodbye, or so he thinks. For one heartbeat of a moment, Emmett lets himself believe that even if she can never love him the way he loves her, she still needs him in her life.

Fate it seems, has other plans in mind. For the moment Sarah opens the door to his jeep, Emmett senses her hesitation. She turns around to look in his eyes.  
  
“Can you hear that?” She asks him. “The music? Can you hear it?”   
  
He thinks that the shock is finally sinking in, his hand goes to hers but stops... the sound... he can hear it too.   
  
“It's children singing!” She whispers and runs. She has hope.   
  
“Just give her another minute.” Emmett calls out to the general, watching her run towards the wharf.

He doesn't know, not for sure, but if the music is what he thinks it means then he owes Sarah that much. Another minute. Another chance.

He waits. He has waited all this time, he can wait a little longer. And then he sees her... and sees that she is not alone. Her family is there by her side. Both of them are safe. He glances up at the dreary grey sky covered in a haze of smoke. He doesn't know what he believes in, war has turned many men into non-believers... but here is proof of a miracle and for the first time in a long time, Emmett believes in something. 

He goes to her. To say goodbye. He feels nothing but happiness for her to have been reunited with her family. It is time for him to leave.   
  
“Faraway Downs is the safest for you in the North.” As long as she's safe, that's all that matters now.   
  
“Thank you Emmett.” Sarah smiles, holding Nullah in her arms, and he smiles in return.

“These are after all… extraordinary circumstances.” He whispers.  
  
There is nothing more to be said. He turns to leave, but he doesn't make it fifty feet before something stops him. Her hands are in his. Confused, Emmett looks up to see her standing there. Her family has walked back to the bar, he can hear the boy laughing, breaking the silence of death in the air.   
  
“Sarah?” He doesn't know what is happening. Why she is there. Why she isn't letting go of his hand. Why she has tears in her eyes.   
  
“You should have said something Emmett.” Her voice is soft when she speaks, but not unkind.   
  
He meets her gaze and sees that she knows. There's no need to hide it... not anymore.   
  
“It wasn't the right time.” Is all he says to her.   
  
“You were leaving without saying anything.” She points out to him - _I don't know if I'll see you again_ \- is left unsaid.   
  
“Yes. I was.” He cannot say more, he has no right to say more.   
  
“Why?”   
  
“Does it matter?”   
  
“Yes. It does. I thought we were friends Emmett.”   
  
“And we always will be Sarah.”   
  
Those words that he so desperately wants to say, the words she is curious to hear, to see if they're really true, are on his lips.

“Maybe... maybe in another life, things could have been different.” She says to him at last.  
  
Emmett smiles at that. He has thought of it so many times, but it doesn't change the reality that in this life, things will never be different.   
  
“Goodbye Sarah. Be happy.”   
  
He hopes she understands, he thinks she does, for she lets go of his hand and backs away.   
  
“Goodbye Emmett.”   
  
His words were his own to speak. Or to conceal. His heart had been laid bare in that moment, but when he sees her leaving, he finally breathes.   
  
“I love you Sarah.” And maybe she hears him.


End file.
